Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, and a method for controlling the same.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, multi-function peripherals and the like have been provided with authentication functions for controlling whether or not a user can use the multi-function peripherals and the like. An authentication method utilizing an RFID tag is one such authentication function. This authentication method involves a multi-function peripheral provided with a tag reader/writer contactlessly reading authentication information from an RFID tag that has been brought in close proximity, and authenticating this RFID tag using the read authentication information.
Further, in using of this authentication method, a technique for changing a point to return from a power-saving mode to a normal mode depending on authentication contents has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-104207). For example, if a user who is only permitted to use scanning is authenticated, only a scanning unit is turned on so as to return from the power-saving mode.
Meanwhile, in recent years, the number of information terminals such as smartphones and tablet PCs that are capable of performing communication by NFC, which is one of contactless wireless communication means, has increased. These information terminals each include an integrated tag reader/writer, and can read and write data from and to an RFID card using this integrated tag reader/writer.
These information terminals can therefore performs contactless wireless communication with apparatuses provided with an RFID tag. For example, by providing a multi-function peripheral with an RFID tag in which information unique to this multi-function peripheral is described, it is possible for an information terminal that is brought close to this multi-function peripheral to obtain, for example, the information unique to this multi-function peripheral.
The conventional authentication method by holding an RFID tag over a tag reader/writer is convenient for users, but in order to detect that the RFID tag has approached close by, the multi-function peripheral needs to continue to supply power to an RFID tag reader/writer also during the power-saving mode. Therefore, even during the power-saving mode, the RFID tag reader/writer consumes power, resulting in an increase in the power consumption in the power-saving mode.